Job 29
1 Pẹ̀lúpẹ̀lú, Jobu sì tún tẹ̀síwájú nínú ọ̀rọ̀ rẹ̀, ó sì wí pé,
Job spoke again,
2 “Háà! ìbá ṣe pé èmi wà bí ìgbà oṣù tí ó kọjá, bí ọjọ́ tí Ọlọ́run pa mí mọ́,
“I wish/desire that I could be like I was previously, during the years when God took care of me.
3 nígbà tí fìtílà rẹ tàn sí mi ní orí, àti nípa ìmọ́lẹ̀ rẹ̀ èmi rìn nínú òkùnkùn já.
During those years, [it was as though] God’s lamp [MET] shone on me and gave me light while I walked in the darkness.
4 Bí mo ti rí nígbà ọ̀dọ́ mi, nígbà tí ọ̀rẹ́ Ọlọ́run tímọ́tímọ́ bùkún ilé mi,
At that time I was young and strong, and because God was my friend, [he protected] [PRS] my tent.
5 nígbà tí Olódùmarè wà pẹ̀lú mi, nígbà tí àwọn ọmọ mi wà yí mi ká;
Almighty [God] was with me during those years when all my children were around me.
6 nígbà tí èmi fi òrí-àmọ́ n wẹ ìṣísẹ̀ mi, àti tí àpáta ń tú ìṣàn òróró jáde fún mi wá.
[My herds] provided me with plenty of milk, and streams of oil flowed from the rock where my olives were pressed.
7 “Nígbà tí mo jáde la àárín ìlú lọ sí ẹnu ibodè, nígbà tí mo tẹ́ ìtẹ́ mi ní ìgboro,
“Whenever I went to [the place where the elders gathered at] the city gate, I sat down with them,
8 nígbà náà ni àwọn ọmọkùnrin rí mi, wọ́n sì sá pamọ́, àwọn àgbà dìde dúró ní ẹsẹ̀ wọn,
and when the young men saw me, they stepped aside [respectfully], and the old men [also] stood [respectfully].
9 àwọn ọmọ-aládé dákẹ́ ọ̀rọ̀ sísọ, wọn a sì fi ọwọ́ wọn lé ẹnu.
The leaders of the people stopped talking [DOU],
10 Àwọn ọlọ́lá dákẹ́, ahọ́n wọn sì lẹ̀ mọ́ èrìgì ẹnu wọn.
and even the most important men became quiet and ceased talking [MTY] [in order to hear me speak to them].
11 Nígbà tí etí gbọ́, ó sì súre fún mi, àti nígbà tí ojú sì rí mi, ó jẹ́rìí mi,
When they [SYN] all heard [what I told them], they said good things about me. When they [SYN] saw me (OR, what I had done), they commended me,
12 nítorí mo gbà tálákà tí n fẹ́ ìrànlọ́wọ́, àti aláìní baba tí kò sí olùrànlọ́wọ́ fún un.
because I had helped the poor people when they cried out for help and I aided/helped orphans who had no one else to help them.
13 Ẹni tí ó ń kìlọ̀ súre fún mi, èmi sì mú àyà opó kọrin fún ayọ̀.
Those who were suffering and about to die praised [PRS] me, and I caused widows [SYN] to sing joyfully, [because of my helping them].
14 Èmi sì mú òdodo wọ̀ bí aṣọ, ẹ̀tọ́ mi dàbí aṣọ ìgúnwà àti adé ọba.
I always acted justly; my continually doing that was like [MET] a robe that I wore and a turban [that was wrapped around my head].
15 Mo ṣe ojú fún afọ́jú mo sì ṣe ẹsẹ̀ fún amúnkùn ún.
[It was as though] [MET] I was eyes for blind people and feet for people who were lame.
16 Mo ṣe baba fún tálákà; mo ṣe ìwádìí ọ̀ràn àjèjì tí èmi kò mọ̀ rí.
I was [like] [MET] a father to poor people, and in courts I defended those who were strangers.
17 Mo sì ká eyín ẹ̀rẹ̀kẹ́ ènìyàn búburú, mo sì já ohun ọdẹ náà kúrò ní eyín rẹ̀.
My causing wicked people [to be unable to continue oppressing others was like] [MET] breaking the fangs [of fierce wild animals] and forcing them to drop from their teeth/mouths the animals that they had caught/seized.
18 “Nígbà náà ni mo rò pé, ‘Èmi yóò kú nínú ilé mi, èmi yóò sì mú ọjọ́ mi pọ̀ sí i bí iyanrìn.
“At that time I thought, ‘Surely I will live securely, until I am very old [SIM], and I will die at home [with my family].’
19 Gbòǹgbò mi yóò ta kan omi, ìrì yóò sì sẹ̀ ní gbogbo òru sí ara ẹ̀ka mi.
I was [like a tree] [MET] whose roots reach down into the water and whose branches become wet with dew each night.
20 Ògo mi yóò wà ní ọ̀tún ní ọ̀dọ̀ mi, ọrun mi sì padà di tuntun ní ọwọ́ mi.’
People always honored me, and I was always [strong like] [MET] a new bow.
21 “Èmi ni ènìyàn ń dẹtí sílẹ̀ sí, wọn a sì dúró, wọn a sì dákẹ́ rọ́rọ́ ní ìmọ̀ràn mi.
“When I spoke, people waited to hear [what I would say] and remained silent until I advised them [what they should do].
22 Lẹ́yìn ọ̀rọ̀ mi, wọn kò tún sọ̀rọ̀ mọ́; ọ̀rọ̀ mi wọ̀ wọ́n ní etí ṣinṣin.
After I finished speaking, they did not say any more; [it was as though] [MET] my words fell on their ears [like refreshing drops of rain].
23 Wọn a sì dúró dè mí bí ẹni wí pé wọ́n dúró fún ọ̀wọ́ òjò; wọn a sì mu nínú ọ̀rọ̀ mi bí ẹní mu nínú òjò àrọ̀kúrò.
They waited for me [to speak] like they wait for rain; they [appreciated what I said] like [MET] [farmers appreciate] the final rain in the spring [before the dry season].
24 Èmi sì rẹ́rìn-ín sí wọn nígbà tí wọn kò bá gbà á gbọ́; ìmọ́lẹ̀ ojú mi jẹ́ iyebíye sí wọn.
When they were discouraged, I smiled at them [to encourage them]; they became encouraged when they saw that I approved of them.
25 Mo la ọ̀nà sílẹ̀ fún wọn, mo sì jókòó bí olóyè wọn. Mo jókòó bí ọba ní àárín ológun rẹ, mo sì rí bí ẹni tí ń tu ẹni tí ń ṣọ̀fọ̀ nínú.
I was their leader, and I decided what things [would be good for them to do]; I was among them like [SIM] a king who is among his troops; I was like someone who comforts [others] who are mourning.”
